Turkey detains 11 after boat carrying 60 migrants sinks

ANKARA: Turkey on Wednesday said 11 people were detained a er a boat carrying up to 60 migrants sank in a lake in the eastern province of Van, leaving at least six dead.

Migrants o en cross Turkey’s eastern border with Iran on their long journey to reach Europe, with many coming from Afghanistan.

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said the boat carrying between 55 to 60 migrants on Lake Van sank on Saturday evening, reportedly because of stormy weather.

He said six bodies had been found but the status of the other passengers, believed to include women and children, was not clear.

The search continued Wednesday, Soylu said, adding that authorities were alerted to the incident only a day a er the boat capsized.